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Chinese Blue and White Jar with Scholars' Objects
Located in Chicago, IL
This porcelain storage jar has a rounded, tapered form and is brightly glazed in the classic blue-and-white manner. The jar is decorated on three sides with cartouches enclosing stil...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Chinese Export Jars
Materials
Porcelain
"Ghost (Get Out of Town)" Mosaic by Toyoharu Kii
By Toyoharu Kii
Located in Chicago, IL
Intricate, ethereal and highly textured, the abstract compositions of Japanese mosaic artist Toyoharu Kii reflect a sophisticated approach to the technical art of mosaic making. Classically trained in Florence, Italy, Kii creates his modern mosaics using traditional techniques and materials, including hand-cut Italian marble and Venetian smalti glass. Eschewing the figural in favor of the abstract, his mosaics rely on contrasts of pattern and form to convey complex themes and achieve visual harmony.
Toyoharu Kii’s latest body of work “Geophytes” continues themes of rebirth and renewal. A reference to plants that regrow from hidden elements beneath the earth’s surface, the series celebrates the resilience of the natural world. Each mosaic is imagined as a landscape that documents a history of environmental damage due to human activity, and the subsequent return of nature as a restorative force. Through the juxtaposition of patterns and the interplay of order and disorder, Kii creates man-made “images of destruction” and finds hope in the future by “reconstructing nature.”
In this mosaic entitled "Ghost (Get Out...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Modern Contemporary Art
Materials
Marble
"Ghost (Waiting For Friends)" Mosaic by Toyoharu Kii
By Toyoharu Kii
Located in Chicago, IL
Intricate, ethereal and highly textured, the abstract compositions of Japanese mosaic artist Toyoharu Kii reflect a sophisticated approach to the technical art of mosaic making. Clas...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Modern Contemporary Art
Materials
Marble
"Ghost (Big Wings)" Mosaic by Toyoharu Kii
By Toyoharu Kii
Located in Chicago, IL
Intricate, ethereal and highly textured, the abstract compositions of Japanese mosaic artist Toyoharu Kii reflect a sophisticated approach to the technical art of mosaic making. Classically trained in Florence, Italy, Kii creates his modern mosaics using traditional techniques and materials, including hand-cut Italian marble and Venetian smalti glass. Eschewing the figural in favor of the abstract, his mosaics rely on contrasts of pattern and form to convey complex themes and achieve visual harmony.
Toyoharu Kii’s latest body of work “Geophytes” continues themes of rebirth and renewal. A reference to plants that regrow from hidden elements beneath the earth’s surface, the series celebrates the resilience of the natural world. Each mosaic is imagined as a landscape that documents a history of environmental damage due to human activity, and the subsequent return of nature as a restorative force. Through the juxtaposition of patterns and the interplay of order and disorder, Kii creates man-made “images of destruction” and finds hope in the future by “reconstructing nature.”
In this mosaic entitled "Ghost (Big Wings)," Kii takes a more representational approach to his storytelling, creating figurative drawings out of thin lines of tesserae. The mosaic belongs to his “Ghost” triptych, wherein Kii uses “wings” to represent the presence of a heavenly being, the ghosts of past spirits or the presence of an angel or guardian. In “Ghost (Big Wings),” Kii mourns the extinction of many creatures due to environmental change and imagines their lonely spirits wandering the earth. Enveloping their silhouettes is “a bird with big wings,” writes Kii, depicted here within a dense mosaic of abstract patterns, a symbol for nature’s healing power. “The bird consoles...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Modern Contemporary Art
Materials
Marble
"New Morning" Kite by Michael Thompson
By Michael Thompson
Located in Chicago, IL
Based in Chicago, IL, contemporary artist Michael Thompson creates unique kites, collages and mixed media works assembled from material fragments of past and present collected in his travels. His ongoing series of large-scale kites bridge the gap between flat art and sculpture, each crafted of split bamboo frames covered with stretched muslin and a collage of vintage ephemera – including kimonos, obis, paintings, scrolls, drawings, metal leaf, bleeding paper, book pages, or anything with a story to tell.
In “New Morning,” panels of teal and indigo leach across the expansive canvas with captivating irregularity. Contrasted by a neutral field of vintage block prints...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Organic Modern Contemporary Art
Materials
Bamboo, Canvas, Paper
Chinese Calligraphy Brush with Glass Bead Handle
Located in Chicago, IL
Along with paper, ink, and inkstone, the brush is one of the Four Treasures of the scholar’s studio. Arguably the most important tool, the brush served as a direct link to the artist...
Category
20th Century Chinese Scholar's Objects
Materials
Metal, Other
Chinese Blue and White Four Flowers Jar
Located in Chicago, IL
Loosely brushed with cobalt blue pigments, this round, blue-and-white storage jar is underglazed with lush garden scenery featuring the flowering plants of the four seasons. Tree peo...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Chinese Export Jars
Materials
Porcelain
"Parts of Another" Collage by Michael Thompson
By Michael Thompson
Located in Chicago, IL
Based in Chicago, IL, contemporary artist Michael Thompson creates unique kites, collages and mixed media works assembled from material fragments of past and present collected in his...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Contemporary Art
Materials
Paper
"Red Headed Drummer" Collage by Michael Thompson
By Michael Thompson
Located in Chicago, IL
Based in Chicago, IL, contemporary artist Michael Thompson creates unique kites, collages and mixed media works assembled from material fragments of past and present collected in his...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Art
Materials
Paper
"Sprout" Mosaic by Toyoharu Kii
By Toyoharu Kii
Located in Chicago, IL
Monochromatic, ethereal and highly textured, the abstract compositions of Japanese mosaic artist Toyoharu Kii reflect a sophisticated approach to the technical art of mosaic making. ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Minimalist Contemporary Art
Materials
Marble
"Caress of Water" Memory Jug by Michael Thompson
By Michael Thompson
Located in Chicago, IL
Based in Chicago, IL, contemporary artist Michael Thompson creates unique kites, collages and mixed media works assembled from material fragments of past and present collected in his travels. In his ongoing series of memory jugs, Thompson adorns stoneware vessels with a kaleidoscope of ceramic shards, found objects, and pocket-sized trinkets he collected over the course of his life.
Also known as forget-me-not jugs or spirit jars, memory jugs are African American folk art objects that honor a loved one who has recently passed. Small tokens and mementos of the deceased are gathered and affixed to the exterior of a jug or vase, an abundance of memories that celebrates a life lived to the fullest.
Michael Thompson applies this tradition to his own practice, creating tactile assemblages of this and that. Formed in the manner of collage, each jug honors the lost memories of generations past and his own memories of personally discovering each item. With varied sources for materials including Kyoto, Turkey, and Mexico, a great number of the found shards are 18th and 19th century ceramics...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Stone
"Dune" Kite by Michael Thompson
By Michael Thompson
Located in Chicago, IL
Based in Chicago, IL, contemporary artist Michael Thompson creates unique kites, collages and mixed media works assembled from material fragments of past and present collected in his...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Organic Modern Contemporary Art
Materials
Silk, Bamboo, Wood
Chinese Red Lacquer Carrying Basket
Located in Chicago, IL
This lacquered Chinese carrying basket impresses with a prim, balanced form of intricately woven split bamboo. A celebratory form traditionally used for carrying food or delivering g...
Category
20th Century Chinese Antiquities
Materials
Bamboo, Lacquer, Paint
Chinese Yunnan Lobed Pot, c. 1800
Located in Chicago, IL
Cloaked in a beautifully irregular brown-green slip finish, this 19th-century earthenware pot was charged with the humble task of storing dry goods in a Qing dynasty kitchen. The lob...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Chinese Qing Vases
Materials
Terracotta
"Asanoha Landscape" Mosaic by Toyoharu Kii
By Toyoharu Kii
Located in Chicago, IL
Monochromatic, ethereal and highly textured, the abstract compositions of Japanese mosaic artist Toyoharu Kii reflect a sophisticated approach to the technical art of mosaic making. ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Modern Contemporary Art
Materials
Marble
Chinese Jade Stone Ritual Blade
Located in Chicago, IL
Based on forms that emerged during the Shang Dynasty (1600-1027 BC), this jade stone ceremonial blade continues upon this tradition with precision. The Shang dynasty placed great emphasis on the administration of power through ceremonies that utilized ritual jade blades, among other jade tools...
Category
20th Century Chinese Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings
Materials
Stone, Steel
Chinese Calligraphy Brush with Blue Glass Handle
Located in Chicago, IL
Along with paper, ink, and inkstone, the brush is one of the Four Treasures of the scholar’s studio. Arguably the most important tool, the brush served as a direct link to the artist...
Category
20th Century Chinese Scholar's Objects
Materials
Stone, Other
"Sawyer'" Kite by Michael Thompson
By Michael Thompson
Located in Chicago, IL
Based in Chicago, IL, contemporary artist Michael Thompson creates unique kites, collages and mixed media works assembled from material fragments of past and present collected in his...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Organic Modern Contemporary Art
Materials
Muslin, Silk, Bamboo, Wood, Paper
"Beach-Combed Mochaware" Memory Jug by Michael Thompson
By Michael Thompson
Located in Chicago, IL
Based in Chicago, IL, contemporary artist Michael Thompson creates unique kites, collages and mixed media works assembled from material fragments of past and present collected in his travels. In his ongoing series of memory jugs, Thompson adorns stoneware vessels with a kaleidoscope of ceramic shards, found objects, and pocket-sized trinkets he collected over the course of his life.
Also known as forget-me-not jugs or spirit jars, memory jugs are African American folk art objects that honor a loved one who has recently passed. Small tokens and mementos of the deceased are gathered and affixed to the exterior of a jug or vase, an abundance of memories that celebrates a life lived to the fullest.
Michael Thompson applies this tradition to his own practice, creating tactile assemblages of this and that. Formed in the manner of collage, each jug honors the lost memories of generations past and his own memories of personally discovering each item. With varied sources for materials including Kyoto, Turkey, and Mexico, a great number of the found shards are 18th and 19th century ceramics...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Stone
"Rampage" Mosaic by Toyoharu Kii, 2021
By Toyoharu Kii
Located in Chicago, IL
Intricate, ethereal and highly textured, the abstract compositions of Japanese mosaic artist Toyoharu Kii reflect a sophisticated approach to the technical art of mosaic making. Clas...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Modern Contemporary Art
Materials
Marble
Chinese Dahua Meditation Stone
Located in Chicago, IL
Set upon its side, we display this dahua stone like a traditional scholars' rock (gongshi). Meditating on the stone’s irregular composition, the Qing-dynasty scholar sought inspirati...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Natural Specimens
Materials
Stone
Black Chinese Provincial Vessel, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
Sculpted during the early 20th century in China's Shanxi province, this terra cotta vessel has a smoky taupe-black exterior with balanced proportions and a beautifully irregular ungl...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Ceramics
Materials
Terracotta
Petite Chinese Tray with Rose Mirror, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
Simple lines, a modest form, and a layer of hand-brushed dark brown lacquer give this petite Qing-dynasty tray a provincial charm that recalls the warmth of home. The square tray has...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Rustic Serving Pieces
Materials
Mirror, Pine
Chinese Shanxi Soup Pot, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
Based on vessels fired in ancient Chinese kilns, this jar's perfect proportions haven't changed much since the Bronze Age. Keeping in the tradition of its predecessors, this early 20...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Rustic Planters, Cachepots and Jardinières
Materials
Terracotta
Provincial Chinese Earthenware Vessel, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
Sculpted during the early 20th century in China's Shanxi province, this terra cotta vessel has a smoky taupe exterior with balanced proportions and a beautifully irregular unglazed s...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Ceramics
Materials
Terracotta
Chinese Bai Tea Leaf Jar
Located in Chicago, IL
Rendered in a striking cool white glaze, this contemporary porcelain jar offers a modern take on a classic form. Lidded jars like these were used in tea shops in China, where tea dri...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Chinese Export Ceramics
Materials
Porcelain
Petite Bronze Garuda Figurine
Located in Chicago, IL
This petite bronze figurine is cast in the form of Garuda, a demigod and mythical king of birds in Hindu and Buddhist faith. Taking the form of half-bird...
Category
20th Century Chinese Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Chinese Cinnabar Red Altar Table, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
In traditional Chinese homes, slender, long tables such as this one are used to hold musical instruments, flowers, or vases. Often referred to as altar tables, this narrow table form...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Furniture
Materials
Lacquer, Elm
"Green Tree" Mosaic by Toyoharu Kii, 2023
By Toyoharu Kii
Located in Chicago, IL
Intricate, ethereal and highly textured, the abstract compositions of Japanese mosaic artist Toyoharu Kii reflect a sophisticated approach to the technical art of mosaic making. Clas...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Modern Contemporary Art
Materials
Marble
Chinese Petite Repoussé Traveling Mirror, c. 1930
Located in Chicago, IL
This petite traveling mirror dates to the early 20th century and is crafted with a metal frame embellished with allover repoussé decoration. Designed after Qing-dynasty vanity boxes,...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Decorative Boxes
Materials
Metal
Chinese Hardwood Drum Stool
Located in Chicago, IL
The stool is a central fixture of Chinese furniture culture. Found in a variety of materials and forms, the stool transcends class lines, as much at home in the provincial courtyard ...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Stools
Materials
Wood
"Diary (2303)" Mosaic by Toyoharu Kii, 2023
By Toyoharu Kii
Located in Chicago, IL
Intricate, ethereal and highly textured, the abstract compositions of Japanese mosaic artist Toyoharu Kii reflect a sophisticated approach to the technical art of mosaic making. Clas...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Modern Contemporary Art
Materials
Marble
"Diary (2301)" Mosaic by Toyoharu Kii, 2023
By Toyoharu Kii
Located in Chicago, IL
Intricate, ethereal and highly textured, the abstract compositions of Japanese mosaic artist Toyoharu Kii reflect a sophisticated approach to the technical art of mosaic making. Clas...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Modern Contemporary Art
Materials
Marble
Victorian Travel Grooming Kit, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
This charming antique box dates to the late 19th century and is a Victorian-era travel kit with sewing and grooming tools, also known as an etui or nécessaire. The compact travel cas...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century American Victorian Antiquities
Materials
Metal
English Petite Mother-of-Pearl Inlay Box, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
This late 19th century English trinket box has an elegant design of lacquered papier-mâché with mother-of-pearl inlay. The inlaid decoration depicts a spray of various flowers which ...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century British Victorian Snuff Boxes and Tobacco Boxes
Materials
Mother-of-Pearl, Wood, Lacquer
Chinese Blue and White Porcelain Spoon, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
A delicate example of the time-honored practice of blue-and-white ceramics, this 19th-century porcelain soup spoon was likely used as an everyday eating utensil. Used in China as ear...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Serving Pieces
Materials
Porcelain
12K Gold Thimble in Leather Case, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
Engraved with simple and elegant scrollwork around its skirt, this European 12K gold thimble dates to the early 20th century. Cast in the late Victorian period, the thimble is engrav...
Category
Early 20th Century European Victorian Collectible Jewelry
Materials
Gold
Chinese Dark Glaze Kitchen Jar, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
A dark brown glaze clings to the tapered form of this 19th-century jar, once used daily in a Qing-dynasty kitchen as evidenced by the glazed interior. The wide-mouth jar is shaped wi...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Jars
Materials
Terracotta
Chinese Baitong Stacking Incense Clock, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This three-tiered container is a 19th-century white brass incense clock, once used as a relatively accurate method to mark the passage of time. Incense c...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Metalwork
Materials
Brass
Pair of Chinese Hardwood Drum Stools
Located in Chicago, IL
The stool is a central fixture of Chinese furniture culture. Found in a variety of materials and forms, the stool transcends class lines, as much at home in the provincial courtyard ...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Stools
Materials
Hardwood
$3,880 / set
Chinese Lattice Top Incense Box, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This slender metal container is a 19th-century white brass incense burner, used for storing and burning incense sticks. The small box has a rectangular form and a removable sliding t...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Metalwork
Materials
Brass
Chinese Jade Top Matchbox Holder, c. 1930
Located in Chicago, IL
With vintage charm and petite scale, this Chinese matchbox holder features an openwork jade lid carved to depict flowers and foliage in translucent green. The jade panel is removable...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Chinese Sculptures and Carvings
Materials
Jade, Brass
Chinese Hardwood Drum Stool
Located in Chicago, IL
The stool is a central fixture of Chinese furniture culture. Found in a variety of materials and forms, the stool transcends class lines, as much at home in the provincial courtyard ...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Stools
Materials
Wood
Chinese Grain Storage Container, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This hand-crafted wooden bucket was once used by farmers in Shanxi, China to transport their harvest of rice and grains over long distances. Counterbalanced by a second container, th...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Rustic Decorative Baskets
Materials
Wood
Chinese Melon Stone Drum
Located in Chicago, IL
Drum-form stools such as this were traditionally used in gardens and outdoor pavilions where upper class scholars read, wrote, gathered for discussion and, in general, developed thei...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Organic Modern End Tables
Materials
Limestone
$3,880
Chinese Provincial Grain Container, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This hand-crafted wooden bucket was once used by farmers in Shanxi, China to transport their harvest of rice and grains over long distances. Counterbalanced by a second container, th...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Rustic Decorative Baskets
Materials
Wood
Chinese Bronze Mirror with Cast Relief Dragon, Late 19th Century
Located in Chicago, IL
This antique Chinese mirror is cast of bronze in the tang-dynasty style, with a lobed rim of eight flower petals, each filled with small cloud ...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Chinese Qing Metalwork
Materials
Bronze
"Landscape Divided" Mosaic by Toyoharu Kii
By Toyoharu Kii
Located in Chicago, IL
Intricate, ethereal and highly textured, the abstract compositions of Japanese mosaic artist Toyoharu Kii reflect a sophisticated approach to the technical art of mosaic making. Clas...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Modern Wall-mounted Sculptures
Materials
Marble
Petite Indian Swivel Box
Located in Chicago, IL
This petite keepsake box with a swivel lid is crafted in the tradition of Indian bidri-ware, with a dark metal body decorated with simple silver inlay. Composed of a zinc and copper ...
Category
20th Century Indian Folk Art Decorative Boxes
Materials
Metal, Silver
Monumental Japanese Sake Vessel, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This elegant, large-scale vessel is a Japanese widemouth stoneware jar (kame) traditionally used for storing water and other liquids. This 19th-century example continues traditional ...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Japanese Meiji Ceramics
Materials
Porcelain, Stoneware
"Green in the Corners" Mosaic by Toyoharu Kii
By Toyoharu Kii
Located in Chicago, IL
Intricate, ethereal and highly textured, the abstract compositions of Japanese mosaic artist Toyoharu Kii reflect a sophisticated approach to the technical art of mosaic making. Clas...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Modern Contemporary Art
Materials
Marble
Chinese Pewter Trinket Dish, c. 1920
Located in Chicago, IL
For one short decade, from around 1910 to 1920, pewter was all the rage in China’s bustling commercial centers of Shanghai and Canton. Drawn to pewter’s soft, silvery glow, artists t...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Metalwork
Materials
Brass, Pewter
"Hidden Movements" Mosaic by Toyoharu Kii
By Toyoharu Kii
Located in Chicago, IL
Monochromatic, ethereal and highly textured, the abstract compositions of Japanese mosaic artist Toyoharu Kii reflect a sophisticated approach to the technical art of mosaic making. ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Modern Contemporary Art
Materials
Marble
Blue and White Double Happiness Ginger Jar
Located in Chicago, IL
The symbol for double happiness adorns this slender ginger jar with best wishes for love, companionship and marital bliss. Glazed in the classic blue and white manner, the porcelain ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Chinese Export Jars
Materials
Porcelain
Chinese Stone Kitchen Mortar, c. 1800
Located in Chicago, IL
Carved from a single block of limestone, this stone vessel is an early 19th century mortar once used to grind spices, herbs, and other condiments. The hand chiseled, rustic exterior ...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Chinese Rustic Planters, Cachepots and Jardin...
Materials
Granite
Chinese Pewter Teapot with Carnelian Bead, c. 1910
Located in Chicago, IL
For one short decade, from around 1910 to 1920, pewter was all the rage in China’s bustling commercial centers of Shanghai and Canton. Drawn to pewter’s soft, silvery glow, artists t...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Art Deco Tea Sets
Materials
Carnelian, Pewter, Brass
"Spring" Mosaic by Toyoharu Kii, 2021
By Toyoharu Kii
Located in Chicago, IL
Intricate, ethereal and highly textured, the abstract compositions of Japanese mosaic artist Toyoharu Kii reflect a sophisticated approach to the technical art of mosaic making. Clas...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Modern Contemporary Art
Materials
Marble
Chinese Petite Brass Brazier with Embroidered Pouch, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
Filled with burning coals, this petite 19th-century brass brazier once warmed the hands of a well-to-do person on a cold winter's night in northern China. The brazier is crafted of w...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Metalwork
Materials
Brass
Chinese Stone Kitchen Mortar, c. 1800
Located in Chicago, IL
Carved from a single block of limestone, this stone vessel is an early 19th century mortar once used to grind spices, herbs, and other condiments. The hand chiseled, rustic exterior ...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Chinese Rustic Planters, Cachepots and Jardin...
Materials
Limestone
"Blue Tree, " Mosaic by Toyoharu Kii, 2023
By Toyoharu Kii
Located in Chicago, IL
Intricate, ethereal and highly textured, the abstract compositions of Japanese mosaic artist Toyoharu Kii reflect a sophisticated approach to the technical art of mosaic making. Clas...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Modern Contemporary Art
Materials
Marble
Read More
A Pair of Monumental Stone Tigers Protect and Guide Wandering Souls
The Qing dynasty beasts honored the dead and warned off malicious spirits.
Chicago’s Pagoda Red Has a Spirited Mix of Asian Antiques and Bold New Art
For 25 years, gallerist Betsy Nathan has leveraged her keen eye and key connections to bring a unique selection of rare finds to the market.